Don’s Top 10 From October 19, 1981

Back...back...back into time, piloting "The Time Machine" to Monday, October 19, 1981. Here's your local top 10 singles:

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10

"Who's Crying Now" by Journey

(#16 last week) They've been charting for years, but stunningly, this is Journey's first top 10 hit single. Some of their previous singles, however, have endured more "Any Way You Want It", for example)..

9

"Lady (You Bring Me Up)" by The Commodores

(#6 last week) Oh, those embarrassing early 80s gym shorts! But the song is enduring. Lionel Richie has two in the top 10 & a third ("Oh No") on the way up.

8

"Queen Of Hearts" by Juice Newton

(#4 last week) I loved this one from the first time I heard it! Still one of my all-time favorites. Sounds like it was a country smash, but it actually started at top 40, then crossed over to country radio, only peaking at #14. Go figure. Juice (real name: Judy Kay Newton) was born in Lakehurst, NJ, but did most of her growing up in Virginia.

7

"For Your Eyes Only" by Sheena Easton

(#8 last week) Sheena was the only James Bond movie theme performer to actually appear on camera in the movie!

6

"Private Eyes" by Daryl Hall & John Oates

(#10 last week) 2013: FINALLY, Daryl & John have been at least nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Don't be surprised if they are passed over, though. They've never quite had enough "cred" with certain critics (& Jann Wenner, in charge of all of it).

5

"Slow Hand" by The Pointer Sisters

(#5 last week) One of the steamiest songs EVER. This continued the sisters hot streak, which started with another sexy smash, "Fire", in 1979. A country remake by, of all people, Conway Twitty, was a charttopper in that format.

4

"Never Too Much" by Luther Vandross

(#7 last week) Longtime backup singer Vandross becomes the star with his debut hit, but it was much bigger here than nationally, at least pop chart. It WAS a nat'l #1 R&B hit.

3

"She's A Bad Mama Jama" by Carl Carlton

(#2 last week) I always lump this forgotten fave in with "Superfreak", but Rick James's hit is much more enduring. Fun to hear this one again, though. It made Carlton a two-hit wonder (his other? 1974's "Everlasting Love").

2

"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" by Christopher Cross

(#3 last week) Cross got some major-league songwriting help here: Burt Bacharach & Carole Bayer Sager. The movie was a smash with Dudley Moore. Why was it remade with Russell Brand? Yuck.

1

"Endless Love" by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie

(#1 last week; 11th week at #1) This song just DOMINATED the summer of '81. It was WABC's longest-lasting #1 hit, going an incredible 14 weeks.Movie sucked, though. It would be Diana's last hit for Motown. She moved to RCA with her next release, "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" (just debuting this week).